Welcome to Les's website, created to keep friends and family updated about his progress. We will add any info as we have news to share or just to let you know things are still on track as planned. Get started by reading the introduction to our website, My Story, if you need to catch up with the initial summer's events.
Visit whenever you want to read the latest updates and write us if you'd like. Thoughts, advice and good jokes can all be left via a note in our guestbook! We appreciate your love and support and thank you for sharing this journey with us.
Most of you know that Les has had two rounds of blood clots, dating back to 2005. His most recent experience was May 2010. Although we had a “Dr. House” type of physician working with us, we came up empty as to why. Since May, Les has been on blood thinners (Coumadin) with no problems. However, as a follow-up to the pulmonary clots, he had a repeat CT Scan on March 24. That scan displayed another issue -- bone lesions.
Following further testing at the U of MN and Mayo Clinic, it is confirmed that Les has Multiple Myeloma, a blood cancer. It smolders for a long time with little indication of its presence. Then something sets it off. There was no indication of the disease back in May. Although, in April 2011 our MM specialist looked at Les's medical records and he saw that Les did have back in 2010 and probably back to his first round of blood clots some years before that.
Basically, we all have blood/plasma cells in our body that replace 15% of your skeleton every year. In simplified laymen terms (which is all we are capable of), one cell destructs bone, the other regenerates bone. If you stay in balance, no problem. Les needs to do chemo and adjunct therapies to kill off the “bad” cells, rebuild bone, and get back into balance. A stem cell transplant will be needed in early fall. Fairly standard treatment.
Les expects to work until and after transplant time. Otherwise, he would go crazy. And he would drive us crazy. Fortunately Dana took winter semester off; JP is at a point in his dissertation process where he can work “off-site” if needed. Michael is incredibly inquisitive about the whole thing and has a great attitude. And of course Jan helps us all hold it together! So, we will end with a brief reference to Geraldine Ferraro, Mondale’s VP running mate in 1984. Geraldine recently passed away from MM. She was diagnosed in 1998. Frankly, Les intends to better that! There have been significant improvements in drugs, therapies, and outcomes since then.
Thanks in advance for the good wishes and prayers. 2011
